A Piece of Forever
by lissieheart
Summary: DracoHermione,PostHogwarts. Can all mistakes be fixed? Can all broken hearts be mended? Can love truimph all like people always say? A tale of two lovers struggling to hold on to that last piece of forever.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I am not JKR.

Author's Note: While I'm trying to finish up **Perfect Mistake **I decided to post my first Draco/Hermione fanfic over here since after it kind of disappeared on AFF. It was rather well-recieved with the people over there, I mustered my courage to put this here. (: I'm pretty proud of this fic and I hope you guys enjoy too. I made a few changes to the fic now that I'm posting it here, just little minor changes that I wasn't satisfied with, but the plot is still exactly the same. (: Enjoy!

Reviews are also welcome!

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**A Piece of Forever**

Prologue

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Snow was a blanket of white on the ground.

Bald trees stood around the church, looking painfully thin and weak without their usual head of leaves, as though those wiry branches may snap any moment under the weight of the snow.

The young woman's footsteps were loud crunches in the silence of the winter as she left a trail of footprints all the way to the front of the church. She paused, pulling her coat tighter around her, blowing out a long breath that became a cloudy puff the second it left her. She took out her wand from her pocket and cast a cleaning spell on her boots so she would not track snow all over the church.

When she was done, she walked through the doors and down the aisle, towards the figure knelt in front.

She stopped about five metres away from him, watching.

His head was bent, his blond hair that was almost silver under the pale light falling over his forehead that had her thanking Merlin once more that he gave up his habit of slicking back his hair in third year.

He looked as though he was praying, as though he was confessing, as though he was repenting for his sins.

He had felt her presence the moment she stepped into the church, all though he did not hear or see her. Yet he was absolutely sure she was there.

He opened his eyes and lifted his head up. He did not need to look to know that she had taken a seat.

He stood up, brushing the dirt from his knees and finally, turned to face her.

"Hermione," he said.

"Draco," she acknowledged.

They regarded each other for a moment in frozen silence.

"I can't," He told her finally.

She swallowed, hoping and hoping that for once she wasn't right about what she thought he was saying. "Can't what?" she asked, her voice cracking.

He averted his gaze, "I'm sorry, Hermione."

"What are you sorry about?" she asked, trying to gather her composure. She wasn't going to let him see her snap.

He sighed- a long deep sigh that said so much yet so little.

She didn't want to hear was coming next. She was so afraid that he would tell her what she guessed he would. She was so afraid that she would be right.

But she wasn't going to walk away.

She was going to stay and listen to whatever bloody excuse he could come up with.

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A/N: So this is just the prologue.

What do you guys think?

-Lisse


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: The usual- not JKR, don't own characters. But I'd love them for my christmas though (:

Author's Note: I hope the prologue was satisfactory. Here's the first chapter- a little short, but bear with me.

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**A Piece of Forever**

Chapter One

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"I'm really sorry, Hermione," he said quietly. "I know it was what you wanted but I can't."

"You can't," Hermione repeated, her hazel eyes narrowing as she added harshly, "Or you wouldn't?"

"I… can't," he said.

"Why?" she asked, keeping her voice light as she stood up from her seat, and crouching to tie her boot, schooling her features into the same expressionless mask that he wore.

"Because it will never work out!" he blurted out, sounding exasperated, irritated and angry all at the same time.

Her fingers on the laces of her boot froze and trembled so hard, they fell from her grip. She had not expected this. She kept her head down. She refused to let him see her face, and she did not want to see his, afraid of what she might see.

"Why won't it work out?" She was thankful to hear her voice was not trembling.

"Because it's you," he said in a low voice. "And me. "

Those words were like a slap to her. She knew what he meant by those words. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was a Mudblood- the word he hadn't called her for a very long time.

"If it was any other pair, it would work out, sure," he said, moving closer, his face carefully blank, not letting a single bit of emotion slip through. "But the thing is, it's you- Hermione Granger, best friend of Harry Potter and Muggleborn."

She swallowed twice, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. She ignored her stinging eyes, forcing herself to swallow her tears. She stood up and gathered her courage, and met his eyes. She was trying to be strong, to be brave, why couldn't she act like he did? Why couldn't she mirror that silent, composed and emotionless mask he wore?

"Hermione," He said softly, stepping closer to her, his hands held out as though to hold her.

She stepped back and for a moment, she saw disbelief flash across his features but the next second, his face was back to the same emotionless expression. He let his arms fall back to his sides. He sighed again.

"Why?" Hermione asked again. "I really want to know, Draco. Why after these two years, when I thought we were already over the fact that I'm not pureblood like you, you still can't forget that? Why, when I thought you loved me enough to overlook the fact that I'm not, in other people's eyes, good enough for you, you can't? I want answers to these questions! After these two years, don't I deserve that?" She was close to tears. She was sad, hurt, angry, disappointed, all at the same time.

"Hermione," he said. What was he supposed to say? He panicked silently. His hands slid into his pockets, to clench around the wrinkled piece of parchment on which he had written what he wanted to tell her, but everything had left his mind now that she was here. He closed his eyes and reopened them later, letting out a long heavy breath. He went over her questions in his head, wincing at how painful they sounded.

"Hermione," he repeated, "I never, never thought you're not good enough for me. I never looked down on you because of your blood."

Hermione had lost control over her tears completely; they spilled out of her eyes one after another, unable to be stopped. "Then is it because you don't love me anymore?" She choked back a sob at the thought of that. She loved him so much… if he didn't love her back, what would she _do_?

Draco drew in a sharp gasp at her words. "No, that's not true," he said. "I love you, Hermione. How can you think that I don't…" He broke of shakily. He took a deep breath then continued, "After all these years of loving you, I can't imagine a time when I won't."

"If that's true, why?" she asked, reaching out and grasping his coat, shaking him. "I want a real explanation!"

Draco's head was aching by now. He couldn't give her what she wanted. She deserved it, hell, of course she did! But he just couldn't give it to her. He just wasn't good at explanations. She was crying. Damn, didn't she know he hated it when she cried? And it just hurt him more knowing that he was the one who made her cry like this.

"Hermione!" He shouted. She stopped shaking him, but his head didn't stop throbbing.

She let out a small whimper, her honey coloured eyes glittering accusingly at him. He regretted yelling at her immediately.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean it," he said.

"You never mean anything you do right?" Hermione shouted right back at him. "You don't mean to dump me like this after two years! You don't mean to break my heart when I love you so fucking much it _hurts_! You don't mean to break up with me because I'm just not good enough for you, Draco 'Pureblood' Malfoy!"

At that moment she was so broken, she wished she had saved every single tear she had wasted on him before so she could drown him in them.

"I never said you weren't good enough!" He shouted back. Why couldn't she try and understand? It wasn't easy for him to do this too.

"I don't want to hear a single bloody word you have to say! It still comes down to me being a Mudblood, right?" She spat. "I didn't ask to be born a Muggleborn and I'm very happy being Muggleborn, I'll have you know. I can't change who I am and I won't."

"I'm not asking you to change, Hermione! I never said that!" Draco protested. "All I'm saying is there's no way I can be with you anymore and there's no why, ok? Stop asking why!"

"There's always a reason, Draco," she said flatly. "You just won't tell me."

He wanted to throw his hands up tear out his hair. Why didn't she _understand_? "Hermione, you have to understand-"

"Understand? Why don't you understand my feelings now instead?" Hermione screamed.

"Look, I've said what I wanted to say. It's not my fault you can't understand," Draco said angrily. "I'm sorry."

He turned on his heel, walking away.

Hermione's eyes grew wide. She wanted to call out to him, beg him to stay but the words remained stuck in her throat as she watched him walk away from her.

She sank onto the cool ground, burying her head in her hands, loud sobs ripping out of her chest as she mourned her loss.

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A/N: Okay, now I'm pretty excited to hear what people think. (:

Criticism is absolutely welcome, just make sure it's constructive. Reviews are total love

-Lissie


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

Author's Note: well I'm glad people have found my fic here once again after its disappearance from AFF. Here's the next chapter!

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**A Piece of Forever**

Chapter Two

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Hermione traced the heart scrawled on the card with a trembling finger.

His precise, small handwriting read:

_Hermione,_

_Happy Birthday! Hope you like the present._

_Love,_

_Draco_

And the small heart was drawn right beside his name and Hermione remembered how somehow, after seeing that small heart for the first time had warmed her heart for hours. She knew how hard it was for him to write all those mushy romantic lines and she had not expected any. This heart had been enough to have her walking on air for days.

Accompanying the card was a necklace, complete with a pendant in the shape of a heart, one carat diamond, beautifully cut.

She closed her eyes, relishing the memory of how happy she had been when she opened the present and allowed him to put on the necklace for her.

It warmed her heart for less than a second but then the doorbell pulled her harshly back to reality.

She sniffled and wiped her face sloppily, pushing the pile of letters and cards under her pillow. She stood up and opened the door.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" Ginny asked in concern, her sunny smile fading into a worried frown after catching sight of her best friend's face.

"We broke up, it's over."

Hermione felt her chest constrict at the sound of those words leaving her own mouthing. Just saying it made her relive the painful confrontation hours ago.

She had received his owl, in his usual to-the-point style, asking her to meet him in the church for important news earlier that day.

She had been utterly confused. He could have picked so many places… why there? They had been to that gorgeous church once, and they were so mesmerized by the architecture that they said they would get married there someday.

She knew Draco wouldn't choose the church if it wasn't really big news.

She had dressed quickly and apparated there. She had found him knelt in prayer and somehow, she had felt a terrible ache in her chest, like when she knew something bad was about to happen and it had hurt so badly. And it was then when she had guessed. And when he lifted his head, she knew she had guessed right.

And then what came later was something so painful, she didn't even want to go there, she told Ginny.

"We shouted at each other and then he left. Just like that," Hermione sobbed into her friend's shoulder.

"It's okay, honey," Ginny soothed, stroking the mess of curls that was Hermione's hair.

"It's not okay, Gin, nothing's okay now that he doesn't want me anymore," she whispered.

--

"I'm back," Draco said, voice laced with exhaustion.

"Hello, darling," The tall slender beauty on the couch stood up, smiling dazzlingly. Her name was Alyssa Guinevere, and she was 20, a year younger than he was. She was pretty and there was just this air of elegance around her that Draco could not put his finger on. She had brown hair, not dark and curly like Hermione's, but smooth silky and light brown, a shimmering cascade down to mid-back. Her eyes were not the colour of honey like Hermione's but a startling blue.

She was pretty, polite and adored Draco. But what was most important- Alyssa Guinevere was pureblood.

Draco swallowed, stiff as a board as the brunette leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

Lucius looked approvingly from the couch. "Just in time for dinner, Draco," he remarked, looking more pleased that he had been in quite some time.

Draco's grey eyes averted to Narcissa. His mother, on the other hand, did not look pleased at all. She was just as expressionless as Draco was, but her lips were pressed together and she was not smiling and nodding away like she usually did to guests.

She narrowed her eyes as Alyssa sat as close to Draco as she physically could without ending up on his lap.

"Dinner's ready," Narcissa said sharply and Alyssa jumped, her hands that were creeping onto Draco's lap quickly snatched back.

"This way please, Ms Guinevere," Narcissa said politely but coldly.

"Alyssa is fine, Narcissa," Alyssa smiled warmly.

Narcissa smiled back tightly. "Very well, Alyssa. Please take a seat," she gestured to the large dining table, piled high with various delicacies.

Alyssa picked the seat next to Draco, complimenting the food, the cutlery, the décor of the dining room, the wine and even the carpet.

Lucius was practically beaming with approval.

Draco ate in silence, not unlike his usual self but this time it was an uncomfortable, stiff and painful kind of silence that one usually retreated into when they were hurting; his head was throbbing madly, although it had already been three hours after walking out on Hermione in the church.

He walked until he was well out of her sight and then apparated to the Pitchfork, a bar close to his house, ordered a Fire Whiskey, sat alone, thinking until it was close to dinner time.

He had thought a lot during that two hours.

He thought about what happy times he had had with her, about how he always felt so loved and appreciated and so needed in her presence, about how much he loved her hugs, about the smell of her hair- like lemons and oranges, about the way she spoke and laughed, about the way she liked her coffee, about the way she sang in the shower, endearingly off-tune, about how she was determined to free every house-elf in London, and most of all, about how much she loved him and he had let her down.

And then he thought some more- about how would he live now that they were over, about how he could survive knowing he had let her down, about how he could bring himself to smile when she was else where crying, about he could be happy when he had taken her happiness away from her. He knew how much she wished to stay with him forever. He knew how she wanted for them to get married, have three children and live together, always by each other's side, for better or worse.

He had finished his first drink in less than ten minutes and was about to order another, but then he remembered that she hated him to drink, much less on an empty stomach so he made himself order a fruit punch instead.

He owed her this at least. This he could still do.

He left twenty minutes to dinnertime, deciding to walk home.

He was shivering all the way home and somehow, he knew it wasn't from the cold. And he felt a swirling throbbing pain in his head that he knew wasn't from being sick. And he was hurting so badly deep inside, and he knew that it was because he knew that he would never be with her again.

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A/N:

How was it? I know a different circle of people are reading this story and I'm eager to see how YOU guys think (:

-Lissie


	4. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I am not JKR, and I'm not making any money off this

Author's Note: Thank you for all the lovely reviews (: Glad to know people are enjoying this. Hope this chapter will be satisfactory!

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**A Piece of Forever**

Chapter Three

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Two months ago, Draco made the biggest mistake of his life.

It was a Friday night and he had come home after a date with Hermione- dinner and then a walk at the beach.

He went to Pitchfork at ten at night, where it was already bursting with youngsters, gyrating to the beat of the music that was blasting out of speakers, so loud it was as though the whole place was shaking.

He ordered some vodka and sat down, drinking glass after glass, enjoying the way the drink felt burning its way down his throat.

At around midnight, a pretty brunette appeared next to him, beaming and introduced herself. She was Alyssa Guinevere. She was dressed in a skimpy red dress that left little to the imagination. What was most captivating about her was her eyes- big, sparkling and the bluest blue Draco had ever seen.

Draco was slightly tipsy from all the vodka and all he knew was that a hot chick was bent over him, giggling girlishly and asking him for a dance.

He was pulled onto the dance floor and Alyssa danced around him with confident grace, laughing as Draco spun her around.

She bought him another shot of vodka and he drank up…

Next thing he knew, he was awake with one hell of a hangover.

He blinked and sat up. He was naked and there was a warm body next to him. He yelped and rolled off the bed. He quickly pulled on his clothes that had been tossed carelessly to one side.

A woman was seeping soundlessly on the other side of the bed, without a stitch of clothing on. He closed his eyes, thinking that it was a nightmare. When he opened them again, he was forced to admit that it was not a dream.

Where was he? His eyes fell on the small pad of paper on the nightstand, next to a quill. The name of a hotel leapt out at him from the paper, answering his question.

He breathed deeply and suddenly noticed that the room was reeking of sex. He felt like throwing up.

He had slept with her. He had slept with this woman whom he had known only the day before. What the fuck was her name?

He sifted through his vague memory of the night before- he was drinking and she had come over, smiling brightly and she had said "I'm Alyssa Guinevere."

Oh fuck, Draco thought, sinking into a chair, rubbing his temples and squeezing his eyes shut. If it had been any other girl, he would have paid her into silence but this was the only daughter of the Guineveres. The Guineveres were one of the pureblood families, formerly of France but had returned to London where they were actually from.

There was no way he could get out of this. He had slept with her and now he was going to pay. He had no intention of having sex with her. How it had ended up like that, he had no clue.

Shit, he should have listened to Hermione and stayed far, far away from alcohol.

_Hermione._

His eyes flew open in horror.

Merlin, what about Hermione? A strangled groan escaped his throat.

He forced the sight of a fuming Hermione and tried to think of a good way to get out of this sticky mess. The only thing that came to mind was a picture of a heart-broken Hermione and that made him feel even worse.

The best thing to do, he concluded after a few moments was to get the hell out of there as fast as possible. So he grabbed his wand, his coat and was about to head out of the door when he held back.

He owed Alyssa an explanation at least.

It wasn't her fault that he was drunk and ended up bedding her.

He scrawled a note on some paper, saying he had things to do and had left first, and then he let himself out.

Once he was out of the room, he apparated with a pop back home, to crawl into bed with a massive headache, which was both from the hangover and the big mess he had just gotten himself into.

--

Draco walked Alyssa to the door, instructed to do so by his father.

"Bye, Draco. Thanks for having me over. Please tell your mother that dinner was delicious," Alyssa smiled up at him as he handed her coat that Hattie the house elf had passed to him back to her.

She shrugged the coat on and waited for him to open the door.

"It was a pleasure having you over," Draco said stiffly and Alyssa's smile grew wider.

"It was mine as well," she said sweetly, standing on her toes and kissing him lightly on his lips.

Draco's eyes went wide and his entire body froze as her lips grazed his.

"Bye, I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Alyssa said, stepping out into the cold and then almost immediately into the warmth of her coach.

Tomorrow? Draco thought, watching her coach lift off the ground, pulled by twelve winged horses soaring towards the sky.

"Lovely girl, isn't she?" Lucius remarked, appearing as Draco shut the door. "I invited her over for lunch tomorrow. She would make a perfect wife. You made a good choice by sleeping with her," Lucius smirked at his son.

Draco nodded numbly.

Lucius only smiled and walked off, the click of his expensive shoes against marble ground stinging Draco's ears.

A cool hand came up to clasp his shoulder and Draco glanced behind to see Narcissa.

Unlike Lucius, Narcissa did not say a word. She only looked into her son's eyes, not surprised to see the sorrow in the depth of those gray eyes. She turned away, because there was nothing else she could do.

"Mommy," Draco said, his eyes glassy like marbles, watching as she walked away.

Narcissa blinked, stunned to hear her only son call her by an endearment she hadn't heard since he turned six.

--

It was raining.

Draco glanced briefly out of the window, looking up from the letter from Pansy.

She asked about Alyssa- 'Who in the world is she?' Draco had no idea.

She asked about him- 'Are you happy?' Draco had never been less happy.

She asked about his opinion- 'What do you think of her?' Draco could not put his thoughts into words.

In frustration, he tossed her letter aside, wondering why everyone else's life was so perfect and his wasn't.

Pansy was a lucky girl.

She was on her honeymoon, happily married to Draco's best friend Blaise Zabini. She described the lovely scenery, the friendly service and the wonder of marriage in her letter, urging Draco to find his partner soon.

Draco closed his eyes and collapsed backwards onto his bed, not wanting to think about anything but Hermione. He filled his head with thoughts and memories of her- happy Hermione, excited Hermione, Hermione on her birthday, Hermione dressed up to the nines for their first date, Hermione, Hermione, Hermione.

In Draco's mind, the scene played-"We're going to have three kids together," Draco told Hermione, bending over her and kissing her hair.

And then something jolted him out of his temporary bliss.

Kids. Babies.

He was going to have a baby all right but it just wasn't going to be with Hermione.

--

It was raining.

Hermione flinched as lightning lit up the room for a second, then only to be plunged into darkness once more.

She rolled off her bed, padding across the room to the closed window, parting the curtains.

Raindrops pelted viciously against the glass. Hermione pressed her forehead to the cool glass of the window, her tears smudging the glass.

She watched the raindrops hit the glass than swim their way down and she imagined them to be her tears because what little she had left, was not enough for her sorrow.

She stayed that way for a long time, staring and staring until she could no longer differentiate her tears from the rain.

And as she stood unmoving by the window, the sky continued to cry.

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A/N: So how was it? I hope the whole thing isn't too much of a cliche, this plot just went into my head and refused to get away.

Review!

-Lissie


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I am not JKRowling and I am making absolutely no money of this. I wish I did though.

Author's Note: Thanks for the lovely reviews (: I am delighted that people like what I'm doing! Keep on reading will you? I will be endlessly grateful if any of you can just spread the word that I'm posting this story here now if you know anyone who can't find it on AFF.

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**A Piece of Forever**

Chapter Four

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It was raining.

Lucius tapped his fingers in a rhythm on his large imposing desk. A wolfish grin was spread over his face as he pictured Alyssa Guinevere in his mind.

Perfect.

Pureblood, well brought up, heir to a large fortune and pretty- all summed up Alyssa and it all summed up the prefect wife for Draco.

By some amazing stroke of luck, she liked Draco, loved him even. Lucius could not be happier.

At the same table he was sitting at, about two months ago, he made a deal with Alyssa. One that Draco would probably thank him for, if not now, when he was older.

_He had slid a small box over to her._

_She narrowed her blue eyes. "What is this?"_

"_In it there are two pills," Lucius drawled. "Each one is a heavy dose of a drug- I will leave out the name, there is no need for you to know- that will knock the sense out of Draco and he will forget anything that happened after he takes this. One pill is enough- slip it in a drink. The second is for in case things go wrong."_

_Alyssa pocketed the box. "I assure you, Mr. Malfoy, nothing will go wrong."_

"_Very good," Lucius said. "Just the answer I wanted. If all goes well, you will be Draco's wife in three months."_

_Alyssa's eyes sparkled at the very thought. _

"_You know the plan," Lucius said. "You know what preparations you yourself should take to ensure this goes according to plan." _

"_Oh, I know," Alyssa said. "Which pub does Draco frequent?"_

"_Pitchfork," Lucius answered without even thinking. He was the one who introduced Draco to the pub and the wonders of alcohol._

"_Excellent," Alyssa beamed. "I'm on good terms with the bar tender. Once Draco appears, Jake will inform me and I will be there in no time."_

_Lucius had gotten up to walk her to the fireplace, holding up a bowl of powder for her to grab as she stepped into the fire._

The storm showed no signs of letting up, the rain still falling mercilessly from the sky and onto the windows.

Lucius picked up a quill and dipped it into black ink. He smoothed out a piece of parchment and paused.

After a second of consideration, he started to pen a letter to one of the best wedding planners in England.

--

It was raining.

Alyssa's hands moved to rub her abdomen, a slow smile taking over her face.

"My darling," she purred as she stood by the window, watching the rain.

She imagined a beautiful little girl or a handsome little boy holding hers and Draco's hands, their child skipping and laughing.

She smiled down at her still flat tummy and then lifted her chin to face the sky, a bubble of song rose out of her throat and from her lips, as she began to sing a lullaby, for Draco, for herself and for their baby.

--

It was raining.

Narcissa was indifferent about the storm raging outside her window.

In fact, she mused, she was pretty indifferent to almost everything now. She continued knitting.

There was a time when Narcissa was passionate about everything she did, but those days were long gone. Actually, she snorted, they disappeared the day she married Lucius.

The only thing that she actually had was Draco.

She smiled at the thought of her son but the smile faded as she brought to mind Draco's gaze, his eyes brimming with sadness. Those grey eyes that were so much like his father's. Actually, he was mostly like his father- his blond hair so blond it was almost silver, his eyes, his body and that smirk.

She wanted so much for him to be happy.

She wanted him to marry someone he loved, a luxury she never had. A choice she never had the chance to make. She wanted him to have that chance. She didn't want him to be like her.

"Of all the things to be like me, Draco," Narcissa whispered. "Why this?"

She took a deep shuddering breath and bent over, pressing her head to her knees, then turning to her side, letting her knitting drop onto the floor as she curled up to sleep in her big bed, alone, the same way she had always slept, from the start of her marriage, and she knew, it would be to the end.

--

Hermione woke up the next morning curled up on the floor by the window.

She sat up groggily, rubbing her swollen eyes. The sky was sunny and the only evidence of the storm the night before was the rainbow painted across the sky.

She stood up and stumbled into the bathroom, silencing the mirror with a spell when it commented sarcastically about her puffy eyes, flushed face and messy hair.

"I'm in no mood for this," she muttered darkly, splashing water carelessly over her face.

"Pull yourself together, you fool," she told herself.

_How can I when he is gone now?_

Hermione pushed that thought to the back of her head and picked up her toothbrush, beginning her morning routine like it was any other day, but deep inside Hermione knew that no matter how she went about her day like everything was normal, nothing was the same because the most important part of her life was now gone and what hurt most was that she couldn't bring it back.

Her doorbell rang just as Hermione wiped her face dry, ending her routine.

She looked at the clock- it was ten, Ginny had said she would be over with breakfast.

"Look!" Ginny sang, holding up to paper bags. "Croissants!"

Hermione forced a smile and let her friend in. "Have a seat. I'll make coffee."

"No, you sit," Ginny stopped her. "I'll make coffee. Help yourself to the croissants!"

Ginny disappeared into the kitchen and Hermione sank onto the sofa.

She peeled the paper bag open and peeked in. Sure enough four croissants lay inside.

"Thanks for coming over, Ginny," she said as she bit into a croissant as the redhead reappeared with two cups of coffee.

"Don't thank me. You were there for me when Harry broke up with me," Ginny said cheerfully. "It's only reasonable for me to return the gesture. But that's not why I did it," Ginny smiled and Hermione managed a smile back. "It's because we're friends and isn't this what friends do?"

_It is_, Hermione thought as Ginny handed her one of the two cups of coffee, and her mood lifted just a little.

--

Draco fought to keep a scowl off his face as the fireplace glowed; giving the warning that Alyssa was about to arrive.

As the young lady stumbled out of the ashes, tottering on three inch heels, Lucius reached out to steady her.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Alyssa breathed, and she turned to Draco, flashing him a coquettish smile.

"You look lovely today, Alyssa," Lucius shook her hand.

Alyssa beamed. "My dress is an import from Italy, do you like it, Draco?" she turned to flutter her heavy lashes at him.

"It's very nice," he choked out, forcing a smile to his face.

Alyssa giggled and blushed, acting like a shy schoolgirl. Draco struggled not to recoil in disgust.

"I'm going to need a new wardrobe when I start to show," Alyssa chattered to Narcissa. "We can go shopping together one day, can't we, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Ah," Lucius announced, "Speaking of clothes, Alyssa, we have to conduct the wedding soon or you will start to show and we wouldn't ant that, won't we? I've already owled the wedding planner and she says that she will start the planning immediately."

Narcissa drew a sharp breath and she spoke for the first time that day. "Wedding?" she repeated, her face going bone-white.

"Yes," Lucius said proudly. "Narcissa's delighted, aren't you, my dear?" he turned to his wife and she offered a tight, drawn smile that matched her eyes that shone with horror.

Alyssa was beaming. "You will inform me and Draco when they need us for measurements, won't you, for the wedding robes?"

"Absolutely, no need to worry," Lucius assured. "Now, lunch is ready, this way please."

Alyssa thanked Lucius and they made their way to the dining room. Alyssa noticed Draco walking behind and she fell back to walk next to him.

Draco jerked in shock as she leaned against him, lying her head on his shoulder and slipping her arm through his, locking their elbows together and with that, Draco knew that he was now locked to her, forever.

* * *

A/N: How was it? Okay? Good? Let me hear you guys opinion and please if there's anything you think I should improve on, don't hesistate to tell me! I can take the criticism- I'm strong! (:

Read and Review, that's what everyone says isn't it? (:

-Lissie


	6. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR and the plot and the original characters are my own.

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update, I have been pretty busy these days (: But I promise to update the next chapter as soon as I can. For now, enjoy this!

* * *

**A Piece of Forever**

Chapter Five

* * *

"Give us a statement, won't you, Mr. Malfoy?" The reporters cried out as Draco clenched his jaw. He couldn't even walk down Diagon Alley in peace. It was nine in the evening, for Merlin's sake, didn't these people have better things to do? 

Alyssa, on the other hand, smiled and posed for the cameras, waving and beaming at the reporters as the light bulbs went off, capturing the scene of London's current hot couple walking down Diagon Alley, hand in hand.

"Mr. Malfoy, why the sudden decision to get married?" Someone called out. "We last heard that you were attached to Ms. Hermione Granger, did you break up because of Ms. Guinevere?"

Draco's knuckles turned white as his fingers curled into fists. "Shut up," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Here we are!" Alyssa stopped in front of Twilfitt and Tattings, the dressmaker.

Draco ducked inside the store, muttering curses.

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy," a petite woman chirped, beaming.

"Draco, this is Augusta Twilfitt," Alyssa introduced. "She is taking over her sister today."

"Hi," Draco mumbled grumpily, sitting down on the white sofa.

"Let's start by taking your measurements first, shall we?" Augusta Twilfitt brandished a measuring tape and smiled at Alyssa. They disappeared into a room upstairs, leaving Draco alone.

Draco heard a sudden roar outside the shop and his gaze averted to the glass doors. The reporters looked extremely excited and were all craning their necks to see something and camera flashes went off all around.

Scowling, Draco stormed to the window, ready to hex them all into silence.

Once the door was cracked open, he heard their voices shouting.

"Ms. Granger, what do you think of former lover Mr. Malfoy getting married to Ms. Alyssa Guinevere?" Draco heard and he took a step backward, swallowing.

"Ms. Granger, are you even aware of the wedding?" someone shouted.

"Out of our way, you idiots!" Draco heard the unmistakable voice of Harry Potter. "Or I'll hex the whole lot of you!"

The crowd fell into silence and parted to let the Boy-who-Lived pass.

Draco watched Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley each grab one of Hermione's elbows and support her as they weaved through the small path that had been formed to let them through.

"Hermione," Draco said hoarsely. He needed to make her understand. "Hermione!" he shouted.

He ran down the steps and stopped a few meters in front of her.

"Hermione, I can-" he began but she pointed her wand at him, her hand shaking. He took a step back involuntarily, startled to see hatred blazing in her honey coloured eyes.

"You keep your mouth shut, Draco Malfoy," she hissed, spitting his name out as though it was vile.

"Look," Draco started, holding up his palms in surrender, "Hermione, hear me out."

"Hermione, don't listen to a word he says," Ginny Weasley said scornfully.

"Hey," Draco shouted at her angrily. "Keep your nose out of this!"

"Draco?"

_Oh fuck_, Draco thought as Alyssa ran down the steps and over to him.

"Draco? What's the matter?" she asked, clinging onto him.

Draco looked helplessly at Hermione, getting more frustrated as her expression changed from anger to horror and finally, to disappointment and a kind of sorrow that wrenched his heart.

"Isn't this Harry Potter?" Alyssa smiled and waved. "Nice to meet you. You were schoolmates with Draco, weren't you?"

"Alyssa," Draco snarled softly so only Alyssa could hear, to everyone else it looked like a smile, albeit forced but it was better than screaming at his future wife in public. "Get indoors. Now!"

Alyssa ignored him. "I don't know if you know me, I'm Alyssa, Draco's wife," she paused and giggled. "Well, at least after the wedding. It's two weeks from now, I don't know if you're on the invitation list but in case you aren't, Mr. Potter, you are welcome to the wedding. Oh, and bring your friends too," she gestured to Ginny and Hermione.

Potter's face twisted in anger and he glared at Draco.

"Let's go, we can get my dress another day," Hermione said faintly. She tugged on Ginny's sleeve. "Please?"

Ginny threw Draco a dirty look and they disappeared in three loud cracks.

There was an uproar as the reporters clambered to ask more questions about the drama that they had just witnessed.

"Come on, darling, Augusta is done with my measurements and it's time for yours now," Alyssa said brightly.

Draco allowed himself to be pulled back into the store, his gaze still transfixed to where Hermione had been standing.

--

Didn't she deserve to know first? Couldn't he have told her? Couldn't he have told her straight that he was getting married with another woman? _That he wasn't going to marry her like the way he always said he was going too?_

Hermione ripped another of their photos apart, splitting the photo in half- her on one half and him on the other. She hurled the halves into the air, and proceeded to do the same to the rest of the photos, strangled howls stuck in her throat.

She hated the way that woman had clung to him as though he was hers, and the way he had not pushed her away, or he had not complained when she introduced herself as his wife.

How could he do this to her, when she loved him so much, and as much as she would like to deny it, she knew deep inside that she still loved him?

The doorbell rang. She choked back an irritated growl. She already told Ginny that she was fine and she really wanted time alone!

She stormed to the door, yanking it open; ready to tell Ginny slowly once more that she was perfectly fine and God, please she wanted to be left alone, when she found herself utterly speechless.

"Hermione."

--

Draco felt really sick.

He tried to block out Alyssa's insistent chatter about her dress and his robes.

He barely gathered enough energy to apparate but he didn't want to end up splinched, so he forced himself to concentrate and apparate home.

Arriving in Malfoy Manor, he felt worse than ever. His stomach was churning madly as though ready to rebel at any moment.

He lowered himself onto the sofa as Alyssa told his parents all about her dress, completely unaware of Draco's discomfort.

They were interrupted by the arrival of the Nightly Entertainment, a newspaper that had long taken over the Daily Prophet in reporting all the juicy gossip.

On the cover was a photo of Alyssa and Draco, walking hand in hand- Alyssa was flashing a brilliant smile, looking prettier than ever while Draco was scowling.

"London's Hottest Couple!" the headlines screamed.

Draco wanted to hurl. Alyssa giggled and unfolded the paper, reveling the lower section of the front page, where there was a photo of Harry and Ginny, with a flustered Hermione between them as they struggled to make their way through the throngs of reporters.

"Caught in the act by ex-lover!" the caption read. Draco's eyes read the first few sentences beneath Hermione's picture- '_Mr. Draco Malfoy's previous lover, Hermione Granger, witnessed every painful moment of her ex walking happily into Twilfitt and Tattings, hands locked with his soon-to-be wife, to take measurements for their wedding gown and robes. Apparently gripped by jealously, Granger pulls her wand but Ms. Alyssa Guinevere appears in time to stop the quarrel between the has-been couple…'_

Draco stood up so abruptly, all heads turned towards him. He nearly tripped as he made a dash out of the front doors, his stomach rebelling violently. He bent over the bushes, throwing up until there was nothing left in his stomach but guilt.

He pressed his forehead against the stone wall, panting.

He still couldn't get that look in her eyes out of his head. Those honey coloured eyes filled with loathing and hurt when she saw him.

He wiped his mouth roughly, disgusted at himself. He shook Alyssa's concerned hand off his back but accepted the glass of water Narcissa passed to him.

He washed his mouth with the first mouthful, and drank the rest.

"I have to do something. Don't wait up," He told Alyssa coldly.

He did not wait for her parting words and apparated before she could get anything out of her mouth.\

--

Her name rolled of his tongue like honey.

She stared at him in disbelief. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home with your _darling_ Alyssa?" She winced inwardly at how _bitter _she sounded.

"Hermione," He said again, stepping in before she could slam the door shut in his face. "Just hear me out this once, ok?"

Hermione hesitated and then nodded grudgingly. "Have a seat," she murmured.

She ducked into the kitchen, still stunned. She leaned against the refrigerator, trying to slow her breathing.

Her hands reached automatically for the coffee maker. She could make his favorite coffee with her eyes closed.

She slid the cup onto a saucer and she was about to walk out when she pulled back. With trembling fingers, she pulled the fridge open and reached for the tub of strawberry ice cream.

She had bought it for him before they had broken up. She didn't eat strawberry ice cream; he was the one who loved it.

She got a spoon for him, knowing he preferred to eat straight from the tub.

There was still so much him around her. She couldn't look at green, remembering it was his favorite color, couldn't even eat chocolate chip cookies, and remembering he loved them.

She forced those thoughts out of her head and set the cup in front of him.

"Here," she said shortly and suddenly remembered she was still holding the tub of ice cream and the spoon. She shoved the tub and spoon to him.

He looked down at the ice cream and all of a sudden, he was overwhelmed with this urge to pull her into his arms and cry.

"I got it before you asked me to go the church," she said, in answer to his unspoken question.

Draco put the ice cream down. "I came here to make things clear to you."

"Things are already very clear to me, thank you very much," Hermione said coldly.

"No, they are not," He said quietly.

"They are perfectly clear!" Hermione snapped. "I get the idea, ok? Stop rubbing it in my face!"

"I'm not rubbing it in your face, for goodness sake!" he protested. "I love you!"

Hermione felt every part of her body stiffen at those words. She swallowed. "No, you don't," she told him shakily.

"I do," he said softly. "I always loved you and I still do, and I sure as hell know that I'm not going to stop loving you any time soon, in fact, not ever."

"There's no use, telling me all this. It's all over, Draco. It's Alyssa you should saying this to, not me," she said in resignation.

"I just want you to know that the one I love is you," he said.

"So what if you love me?" she asked bitterly. "You're marrying Alyssa!"

"If I had a choice, the one I choose to marry would be you!" he shouted.

"Then why?" she shouted back.

"Because she's fucking pregnant!" Draco bellowed.

Hermione choked on her words. "She what?"

"I slept with her when I was drunk and got her pregnant! What can I do?" He said wearily.

"You slept with her when we were still together," Hermione realized. "You bloody bastard! She grabbed a cushion and whacked him in the face with it.

"I was drunk! I was completely utterly wasted! I didn't even know her name when I woke up!" He yelled.

They were both on their feet now, shouting at each together.

"I _HATE_ you! Go to _HELL_!" screamed Hermione.

A painful silence followed her words.

Hermione spoke up at last, her voice small and tired. "What did I do to deserve this, Draco?"

"Nothing. All you did was to be perfect," He said, bringing a small smile to his lips.

"No, all I did was love you," she told herself, too late to realize she had spoken out loud.

After that, everything happened too fast and it was like all the seconds compressing against each other and everything was a blur. He crossed over to her, crushing her to him, kissing her so harshly she couldn't breathe.

His lips were on hers and his tongues battling with hers as he wrapped his arms around her as though afraid she might disappear.

His hand moved up to her neck, grazing her collarbone and hitting a sensitive spot, making her knees buckle.

He was kissing her with a kind of need that was almost primitive, wanting to claim her once more with just this one kiss, label her as his, so delightfully and rightfully his for all eternity. He couldn't live with the fact that she might one day leave him, or that he might have to leave her, for good. He moved his hands up to cup her face, pressing harder against her, trembling from head to toe, as she made small moans deep inside her throat, the way he loved so much.

He nibbled on her bottom lip roughly and felt her grip on his hair tighten almost painfully.

"Draco," she breathed, the name muffled and lost in the fiery kiss.

"I'm so sorry," he said against her mouth and in case she missed it, he broke the kiss and repeated it again loudly.

"I know, oh God, _I know_," she whispered. "Me too."

"I love you," He said loudly, not wanting her to doubt that, not now, or ever.

"I love you too," she said and then she stood on the tips of her toes, pressed her hands against his chest for balance, leaned up and pressed her lips firmly to his.

Outside the window, the wind seemed to sing the sad song of how love always, always hurts and the naked branches of the trees swayed to its tune, while the two lovers kissed inside the warmth of a small apartment, barely large enough to contain their love.

* * *

A/N: How was it? Okay I admit, I'm dying to know what you guys thought of this chapter (: Well, I always love reviews, us authors crave reviews (: 

And so be nice, and leave a comment!

-Lissie


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Not JKR, only own the plot and original characters.

Author's Note: Once again, I'm terribly sorry for the long wait, but I've updated TWO stories this time- this one and Evanescent which I'm starting to fall in love with because of all the directions it can go. Please check it out and leave a review (:

* * *

**A Piece of Forever**

Chapter Six

* * *

They made love with near violence, with so much emotion that the atmosphere around them seemed to hum. 

"Draco," Hermione cried out as she neared her peak, clutching him closer to her, not wanting to lose him, ever. She buried her face in his neck, drawing short sharp gasps of air as he thrust in and out of her.

Suddenly he was pulling closer too, as though there cannot be any distance between them today, because tomorrow there will be so much. He mumbled her name over and over again amongst other incoherent noises and she tucked the sound of her name uttered in between moans into a safe place inside her heart, not wanting to lose this memory.

When she felt the tension inside of her tighten dangerously then explode, she raked her nails down his back, desperately trying to leave behind a trace of herself on him. She screamed his name to the heavens, the heat of her grief searing through his skin and deep into his flesh and he knew that it would leave an invisible scar that would always hurt and can never be erased.

"Don't leave me, Draco," she pleaded when like all good things, it was over- too soon, too fast for her liking, tears lodged in her throat as she hugged him close, imagining their bodies fusing together as one so she would never have to leave him again.

"I have to," he said hoarsely, his breathing heavy and fast. It was only then when she realized he was crying because his breaths were so full and wet.

"_But I love you_," she whispered, her voice cracking painfully, because if this world was perfect, it would be all the excuse she would ever need.

--

When he awoke, they were a tangle of limbs, their naked bodies fitting perfectly against each other- just like the way her hand fit his- like they were two halves of a whole.

The light of dawn was a slice of pale yellow falling across them from the crack between the curtains. It was morning. It was time to go.

He removed himself from her and pulled on his clothes, never once tearing his eyes away from her, drinking in the sight of her, a beautiful angel with her halo of curls framing her head and a golden flush to her skin. He never thought he would see anything so amazing in life.

He leaned over and pressed his lips to her cheek, letting the kiss linger and suddenly he could not pull away. He wanted to take her in his arms and never let go.

He drew a deep shuddering breath to steel himself and stepped back with difficulty. He filed this scene away into a secret part of his brain where all other memories of her were kept. It was only then when he realized all the memories worth treasuring were all of her, and that's when he felt afraid- if so much of him was about her, how could he live when she was gone?

He tightened his jaw and locked his fingers around the doorknob.

"Goodbye, Hermione," he whispered, the words falling onto her like a soft silk blanket.

He twisted the doorknob and stepped out. The door clicked shut behind him and he willed himself not to fall to pieces.

He squared his shoulders and apparated back home, not stopping, even to greet Alyssa or his parents, until he locked his bedroom behind him and it was only then when he allowed himself to fall apart.

--

When she awoke, he was gone.

She gasped, sitting up and the blanket fell off her to pool around her waist. "Draco?" she called out.

She couldn't believe he had left without telling her. But on the other hand, she wasn't surprised- Draco was never good at goodbyes.

She sighed, raking her fingers through her messy hair. She sniffed the air, a slow smile lighting up her face. The entire room smelled of him- spicy and delicious. She lifted her arm and sniffed it, realizing she smelt like him too.

She pulled on her clothes and curled up on the bed, concentrating on drinking in scent of him with every pore on her skin, not wanting to lose this part of him so soon.

--

"Draco?" Alyssa rapped her knuckles on the door to Draco's bedroom. "Draco? Are you ok? You've been in there for hours! It's already time for lunch."

"I'm not feeling well," she heard him yell back. "I think I'm skipping lunch. Go on without me."

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" she asked.

"No!" he shouted.

"Ok, bye," she said, a little disappointed. Why couldn't he treat her more like a wife and not like a stranger?

She turned to leave and was overcome with a sudden rush of dizziness. She leaned against the wall for support, waiting for the dizziness to pass, but it did not. The place only spun faster and faster, her vision starting to blur into blotches of colour.

She tried to call for Draco.

She tried to call out for help but then before she could figure out whether the words had left her lips, she felt herself get tossed off a cliff into a valley of darkness.

--

Loki MacKenzie was the new and improved version of Rita Skeeter.

At age 22, she was one of the most successful journalists in wizarding London. Unlike Rita Skeeter, she dug out juicy gossip not by underhanded means or making them up- she was simply a natural at her job.

She would go to extremes to get her story and that was what people admired about her.

This time, she had her sights fixed on a new story- Draco Malfoy and Alyssa Guinevere. What had really happened? She had last heard that Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were passionately in love, so why was Malfoy marrying another woman?

Every nerve was buzzing with a good story and she was itching to get a head start on the story.

She leaned back in her chair, wondering where to start.

After all, a good start guaranteed a good story, she grinned.

--

Alyssa opened her eyes and scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where am I?" she asked, making her voice fainter than usual.

"In St. Mungos," came Lucius' concerned voice. "How are you feeling, Alyssa dear?"

"I'm ok, what happened?" she asked.

"You fainted," Lucius answered. "The doctor said that these dizzy spells are common for pregnant women."

"Is the baby alright?" Alyssa was suddenly seized by a bout of panic.

"Relax," soothed a nurse who had just entered. "You and your baby are both doing wonderful." In her arms was a huge bouquet of flowers which she set down beside Alyssa.

"Wow! Who're they from?" Alyssa scooped the bouquet up and buried her face in the blooms.

"They're from Ms. Loki MacKenzie, she wants to know if she can come in," the nurse said.

"Let her in," Alyssa said, smiling.

The nurse nodded and left the room.

"I'm going home first to give the news to Narcissa that you're fine, I'll pop by with Draco later,' Lucius stood up and Alyssa smiled reassuringly.

"I'll be fine," she promised as Lucius vanished with a crack.

"Hello Mrs. Malfoy."

Alyssa swelled with pride at the sound of her name. "You must be Ms. MacKenzie."

A slender blonde nodded, pulling up a chair and sitting down by Alyssa's bed. "Call me Loki."

"Thanks for the flowers, Loki. They're lovely," Alyssa smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Loki said, putting on a concerned smile.

"Wonderful," Alyssa said.

"I'm sure your husband must be really worried," Loki said innocently. She say something flash across Alyssa Guinevere's pretty face and though, bingo!

"Oh, yes of course," Alyssa smiled brightly.

"I should think so, if I was a man and my wife was as beautiful as you, I'd be dead worried," grinned Loki. She watched Alyssa smile proudly.

"Thank you," She beamed. "Anyway, I don't know you, why did you send flowers and even come by personally?"

Loki noticed her well-bred posh lilt, her sweet voice honeyed and silky. "Well, I'm a reporter, you see, and I was wondering if I could have just a short interview. My readers are dying to know about London's hottest new couple."

"Oh, of course, please start," Alyssa said, spreading her arms to express her welcome.

"Just a couple of questions," Loki said professionally. "Let's see, how did you get to know Mr. Malfoy?"

Alyssa smiled shyly, "Our families are both well-known pureblood families, so obviously we would have been on friendly terms with each other, that's how I met Draco of course."

"I see, when did you start to date Mr. Malfoy?"

"Hmm," Alyssa pretended to think and answered, "About half a year ago."

"I see, I wonder if you could disclose some private information for our readers who are just dying to know more about your husband. Witch Weekly named him one of the most eligible bachelors and there are many women out there who are dying to be in your place. For example, his favourite colour? His favourite ice-cream flavour? Small things like that would be delightful."

Alyssa answered the first one without needing to think. Draco was a Slytherin through and through, his favourite colour had to be green.

She vaguely recalled him ordering chocolate chip ice cream during dinner once and she gave that answer as readily as she could.

"How about some of his habits?" Loki ventured. "His favourite animal? His shampoo brand?"

"He fiddles with his fingers," said Alyssa brightly, thinking about how Draco was always fiddling with his fingers. "Oh, he likes snakes of course, he was a Slytherin. And I'm not really sure what brand of shampoo he uses, I'm really sorry."

"It's ok," Loki said quickly. "I think I shall take my leave now. Thank you for our time, Ms. Guinevere and I hope you have a speedy recovery."

"Bye," Alyssa waved as Loki stepped out of the room, immediately pulling out a pad of paper and began to scribble down the details of their conversation, of which she had fully memorized. She had not noted down what Alyssa had said during the interview itself because she was afraid that she might become uncomfortable with someone writing down every single word she said and close off.

She tucked the notes back into her handbag and was about to turn and leave when she noticed Draco Malfoy himself walking towards the door.

"Mr. Malfoy," she greeted politely extending a hand, which the young man shook.

"You are?' Draco frowned.

"My name is Loki MacKenzie, I just had a short talk with your wife," she said with a smile.

"I see," Draco nodded. "You are the reporter, aren't you, the one that's been touted the next Rita Skeeter?

"There has been such comments but my style is completely different from Ms. Skeeter's," Loki acknowledged. "It has been nice meeting you face to face Mr. Malfoy."

"Same here," Draco said and moved to push the door open.

"Wait, I was just wondering," Loki thought quickly, lying smoothly through her teeth, keeping a warm smile on her face. "My best friend is one of your fans, you see and she wants to know what's your favourite ice cream flavor. I know she's weird but she would kill me if I told her I had met you and returned without that information."

"Strawberry," He answered without missing a beat and pushed the door open, slipping inside with that cat-like grace that he was famous for.

Strawberry, Loki thought, as a slow smile curved her lips.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and please review 

Thanks to all of you who reviewed previously!

-Lissie


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